Setting of wall anchors and analogous objects

ABSTRACT

A device for setting wall anchors and analogous objects has a head portion provided with an exposed surface, and an elongated magazine portion connected with the head portion and extending rearwardly away from the general plane of the exposed surface, being inclined thereto. Guided in an internal guide passage of the magazine portion is a strip of objects to be set, the strip having a substantially step-shaped configuration and the objects being arranged in longitudinal parallelism. The surface is provided with a channel which is open at the surface and also at the guide passage so that the strip will feed under the influence of gravity towards the channel and the respectively leading object will be located in the channel partially projecting beyond the surface whereas the following object will be located laterally adjacent to it.

[ Nov. 13, 1973 SETTING OF WALL ANCHORS AND ANALOGOUS OBJECTS Inventor:

[76] Rene Breschinsky, lndustriestrasse 26, Sennestadt, Germany Filed: Nov. 30, 1971 Appl. No.: 203,493

U.S. Cl 227/120, 227/93, 227/119 Int. Cl. B25c l/00 Field of Search 227/107, 113, 119,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1880 Smyth 227/113 3/1924 .lohanson 5/1970 Larson 227/113 Primary Examin e r Granville Y. Custer, Jr. AttarneyMichael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A device for setting wall anchors and analogous objects has a head portion provided with an exposed surface, and an elongated magazine portion connected with the head portion and extending rearwardly away from the general plane of the exposed surface, being inclined thereto. Guided in an internal guide passage of the magazine portion is a strip of objects to be set, the strip having asubstantially step-shaped configuration and the objects being arranged in longitudinal parallelism. The surface is provided with a channel which is open at the surface and also at the guide passage so that the strip will feed under the influence of gravity towards the channel and the respectively leading object will be located in the channel partially projecting beyond the surface whereas the following object will be located laterally adjacent to it.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Y a lag/0x59??? PATENTEDNUV 13 I973 SHEET 10? 2 1. SETTING O WALL ANCHORS AND ANALoGous OBJECTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I beyond what would be possible if the setting-that is the insertion-would have to be carried out manually. One device, operating with nails, is already known for this purpose. This so-called' nailer has a head to which the nails to be set or driven are supplied from' a magazine which is inclined rearwardly away'from the head and in which the nails are accommodated in form of a strip wherein the nails are arranged in longitudinal parallelism and connected in suitable manner by webs which can be severed. The head of the device has a channel which is open at the exposed face which is to contact or be directed'towards the structure into which the nails are to be driven, and'the outlet opening of the magazine guide passage communicates with this channel inwardly of the open side thereof, at a certain distance therefrom. Where the nails enter the channel a shear edge is provided which shears or severs the respectively leading nails from the remainder of the strip in the magazine. 7

The problem in this construction, as in any others which have become known in the art, is the fact that none of these devices provides for any means of arresting the objects to be set intennediate the open side ofthe channel in the head of the device and thestructure into which the object is to be set, which structure is usually provided with a pre-formed hole into which the object is to be inserted for setting (except, of course, where nails are involved). I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingl fl'a general object of the present .invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

More particularly it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an improved device of the-type here under discussion which is not possessed of such disadvantages.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the objects to be set will feed under the influence of gravity to the head portion where they are set.

Still a further object of the invention is to'provide, as a novel article of manufacture, a strip of objects to be set which can be used in the device according to the present invention and will feed under the influence of gravity in such device. g

In pursuance of theseand other objects which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in a device for setting wall anchors and analogous objectaT his device comprises a head portion provided with an exposed surface, and an elongated magazine portion connected with said head portion and extending rearwardly fromsaid surface inclined to the plane thereof, the magazine having an internal guide passage'A channel is provided in the LII surface and a open at the latter as well as to the guide passage, so that when a strip of parallel connected elongated objects is received in the guide passage the strip will feed towards the-surface and the respectively leading object will be located in the channel partially projecting beyond the same whereas the following object will be located laterally adjacent to it. Driving means is provided for driving the leading object out of the channel beyond the surface.

Thus, the leading object is arrested by the following object and is and remains properly positioned for subsequent driving or setting.

Providing a strip of the objects in the step-shaped configuration mentioned earlier has the advantage that, when such a strip is used in the magazine portion of the device according to the present invention, it will feed under the influence of gravity. On the other hand, the strip has certain advantages even if it is .used by itself, that is, without the device according to the present invention. With such a configuration the leading end of a respectively leading object can be inserted into a bore or hole provided in the structure in which it is to be set,

I and the next-following object will be supported against the surface of the support adjacent the hole when the leading object is driven into the hole. This means that it is the edge of the hole itself which will serve to shear the leading object off the next-following object. Thus, the construction of the strip according to the present invention is advantageous even if the objects are driven--rather than with the device according to the present inventionwith a hammer or the like.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing the drawing in detail,'and. firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the 'device according to the present invention is generally identified with reference numeral 1. It has a head portion 3 an exposed surface 30 of which is to face the surface of a support structure 14, such as a wall or the like, in which holes for accommodating the objects to be set are usually preformed. Suchholes are illustrated without being identified with a reference numeral. 1 p

The device 1 further Comprises a magazine portion 2 which is elongated and which is inclined rearwardly at an angle to the general plane 'of the exposed surface 3a shearing successive objects of the strip of objects from one another.

In the illustrated embodiment the 'outlet opening 5 and the open side 6 of the channel 4 are located in a common plane as illustrated.

An elongated strip 7 of objects to be set, here illustrated as wall anchors 8, is provided which is accommodated in the longitudinally extending guide passage of the magazine portion 2. Successive ones of these objects 8 are connected with one another to form the strip and are extended in longitudinal parallelism with one another, but with each succeeding object 8 being slightly rearwardly and longitudinally offset from the preceding one, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and particularly in FIG. 2. The configuration of the strip is thus stairlike in outline. The objects 8 are usually of synthetic plastic material but could, of course, also be of other materials. In particular, if they are of synthetic plastic material, they would be connected by the diagrammatically illustrated webs 9 and 10 of plastic which connect them and along which they are separated by the shearing action resulting when the leading object is driven into the structure 14.

As FIG. 1 shows, the respectively leading object 8 of the strip 7 is located in the channel 4 and projects with its front portion out of the open side 6 beyond the surface 3a. The next-following object 8 is already located in the region of the outlet opening 5 at the time that the leading portion 11 of the leading object 8 extends into the pre-formed hole 12 in the structure 14. This means that the leading object 8 is arrested with respect to the hole 12 against movement, and the application of the device 1 is thus greatly simplified and the time required for each individual setting operation is reduced, because the leading object 8 is already properly aligned with its associated opening in the structure 14 and such alignment can be effected quickly and without difficulty.

Driving means is diagrammatically illustrated only in form of the ram 13 which is driven by suitable means such asa spring or the like and forms no part of the invention and is well known in this type of device.- The ram 13 impacts the trailing end of the leading object 8, thereby severing the latter from the next-following object 8 and setting it in the opening provided in the structure 14. The necessary shear effect takes place at the edge of the opening in the structure 14.

The magazine portion 2 and, consequently, the strip 7 accommodated therein, forms an acute angle with the horizontal, that is, with the general plane of the surface 3a when the' device is in operative position. In this mannet, the strip 7, when used with the device 1, feeds under the influence of gravity towards the channel 4 so that separate spring or other elements for feeding the objects or the strip towards the channel 4 are not necessary, resulting in a further simplification of the construction. The device can, of course, be made stationary, rather than of the portable type used in FIG. 1 and the gravity feeding effect will still be obtained. In fact, such stationary arrangement is greatly facilitated by the gravity feeding effect.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing' from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in adevice for setting wall anchors and analogous objects, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for inserting wall anchors, bushings, dowels and analogous objects into existing holes, comprising a head portion provided with an exposed surface adapted to face an existing hole in a structure; an elongated magazine portion connected with said head portion and extending rearwardly away from said surface at an inclination to the latter, said magazine portion having an internal guide passage adapted to receive a strip of parallel connected elongated objects which travel by gravity along said guide passage in a direction towards said surface; a channel extending inwardly from said surface and open to said guide passage, said channel being adapted to receive the leading object of said strip, and said magazine portion and said surface being inclined relative to one another at an angle such that the leading end of said leading object projects outwardly from said channel beyond said surface upon entry of said leading object into said channel, whereby to permit alignment of said leading object with said existing hole; and driving means for driving said leading object into said existing hole.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said guide passage having an outlet opening to which said channel is open, and said channel having a discharge opening at said surface; and wherein said openings are located substantially in a common plane.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, said driving means comprising impacting means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide passage is bounded by smooth wall surfaces to that the strip of articles may feed towards said surface under the influence of gravity.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said channel has a width sufficient to accommodate the object following said leading object when the latter is received therein, said following object being arranged in longitudinal parallelism with said leading object laterally adjacent thereto and longitudinally offset rearwardly thereof, and said following object arresting said leading object, said following object being adapted to abut said structure as said leading object is driven into said existing hole, whereby a shearing action'is produced at the edge of said existing hole so as to disconnect said leading object from said following object. 

1. A device for inserting wall anchors, bushings, dowels and analogous objects into existing holes, comprising a head portion provided with an exposed surface adapted to face an existing hole in a structure; an elongated magazine portion connected with said head portion and extending rearwardly away from said surface at an inclination to the latter, said magazine portion having an internal guide passage adapted to receive a strip of parallel connected elongated objects which travel by gravity along said guide passage in a direction towards said surface; a channel extending inwardly from said surface and open to said guide passage, said channel being adapted to receive the leading object of said strip, and said magazine portion and said surface being inclined relative to one another at an angle such that the leading end of said leading object projects outwardly from said channel beyond said surface upon entry of said leading object into said channel, whereby to permit alignment of said leading object with said existing hole; and driving means for driving said leading object into said existing hole.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1, said guide passage having an outlet opening to which said channel is open, and said channel having a discharge opening at said surface; and wherein said openings are located substantially in a common plane.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1, said driving means comprising impacting means.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide passage is bounded by smooth wall surfaces to that the strip of articles may feed towards said surface under the influence of gravity.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said channel has a width sufficient to accommodate the object following said leading object when the latter is received therein, said following object being arranged in longitudinal parallelism with said leading object laterally adjacent thereto and longitudinally offset rearwardly thereof, and said following object arresting said leading object, said following object being adapted to abut said structure as said leading object is driven into said existing hole, whereby a shearing action is produced at the edge of said existing hole so as to disconnect said leading object from said following object. 